The Darkness Sings to Her
by Ariel Riddle
Summary: From beneath the cover of the water, or from behind a rock a ways from the shore, she would find herself lurking behind the waves and sneaking surreptitious glances whenever she could. AU Dark Fairytale with a Tomione twist. Oneshot.


**A/N: I've been writing a lot of dramione lately and I needed some tomione in my life. I'm especially a fan of dark fairytales. I wrote this oneshot for the Facebook group Quills & Parchments **_**Not Quite Human**_ **comp posted on AO3. Leana said this is my first and so far my only _real oneshot_ as every other attempt seems to shift into a full-blown story. I'm super happy with that-oneshots are so hard! I hope you enjoy Xx**

 **Beta love to the wonderful LeanaM, which btw if you like historical au's you should totally check out her tomione/Gin'n'tonic** _ **Quid nov sub sole**_ **because it's ah-mazing!**

 **Disclaimer: All canon characters, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter universe belong to JK Rowling. I am not profiting from this writing.**

* * *

 **OoOoO**

She was always watching him.

From beneath the cover of the water, or from behind a rock a ways from the shore, she would find herself lurking behind the waves and sneaking surreptitious glances whenever she could.

He liked to work on the beach...over steaming cauldrons and raging fires.

She was not sure what, exactly, it was he did day after day, but it was just another thing she was curious about.

No one ever found their way to his beach, or, as she liked to think of it, _their_ beach. It sat below a treacherous cliff that could only be accessed through the wizard's own personal quarters which were carved magically into and through the hard rock.

She thought it quite a nice place to live, for humans. It was a place that defied logic—the possibility of its mere existence in the middle of layers and layers of rock and hard packed sediment, was inconceivable. The fact that it lay hidden from the other humans was reason to be awed by it. She suspected the place was warded, which would explain the lack of human presence. Further down the beach, she'd witnessed humans hike such cliffs and use the height advantage to jump into deeper parts of the ocean, but none of that could ever be observed here. She might like to live in such a place herself, if she were human. The privacy suited her.

She liked to watch him as he puzzled over books, sprawled over wooden furniture he made himself, taking advantage of the sun's natural light.

Sometimes light from the sun or the stars wasn't enough, and he'd conjure light of his own.

She _especially liked it_ when he performed magic.

But when he was reading, he sort of furrowed his brow in concentration, which made him look rather devastatingly handsome. Of course, he was _always_ handsome.

Her sisters had said humans were not beautiful or handsome. When they sung their song, they spoke of ghastly beasts who roamed the earth and tore up everything they touched.

It was how she had always envisioned humans. Until she saw him.

This human, this _wizard,_ was different.

His face was chiseled and defined, like the statues of human gods she'd seen on the bottom of the ocean. The clothes he insisted on wearing were a nuisance, she didn't know why humans favored them so. But beneath the offensive material was an impressive physique she could not rip her eyes away from. His shoulders were wide, but not too broad. He was lean, and when he moved it was somehow sinuous, fluid, like waves in the ocean. His hair was as dark as the night's sky. She had the odd desire to run her fingers through it and test its softness. And his eyes... She shivered just thinking about them. There was something about his penetrating gaze that seemed to skewer her to her very soul, as if she were a marlon who fell to the spear. She was sure she was hidden, but when she felt the intensity of his stare, she often doubted herself. Perhaps the wizard knew how to see through the murky depths of the ocean? He was always scouring the horizon, eyes alert and sharp and dark as obsidian.

He was fun to watch.

When he grew angry or frustrated - which was _often_ in his studies - he liked to throw objects and send them sailing through the air. Sometimes he would summon his magic, and let the brutal force of it bristle across his skin, caressing it like a lover before he let it run wild, channeling the power to penetrate through solid rock or summon large waves.

The adrenaline throbbed at her temples just watching the spectacle that was him summoning his magic.

He was intoxicating.

She was becoming obsessed with him.

Each day she would venture closer to the shore, against her nature she would venture closer to the shore each day, only to retreat quickly should she feel the heat of his sweeping gaze. Once, when he had retreated into his cave, she had plucked one of the books he was so fond of reading from its perch on a rock. She let her fingers drag over the spine of it, frowning at the odd texture. What was it about the book that would cause him to spend so many hours pouring over it?

Before he could return, she ducked back into the ocean, book in tow, her sleek fin following soundlessly as another wave broke. She'd taken the text back to the underwater caverns she called home. She'd opened it as soon as it was safe to do so, but found nothing of interest, just parchment with garbled splotches of ink. She couldn't understand what about the book held his interest.

He was a funny creature.

His rage had been palpable the next day, and she had stayed further away than she usually would, out of guilt. He would often glare at the ocean, fury burning in his eyes, as if he held the waves accountable for losing his precious book.

She liked watching him.

Even if she wasn't supposed to...she found she couldn't tear her eyes away.

 **OoOoO**

She hated the winters.

In the winters it rained a lot and he would seldom brave the weather.

He was, more often than not, holed up inside the fortress that was his home and therefore would stay away from their beach.

Every once in a while, he would come out in the cold weather and sit out on his balcony. She'd wait all day in the treacherous weather, hoping the rain would let up, just for a rare glimpse of him. It made all her suffering worth it.

She missed him when they were separated and her whole body ached with the urge to see him.

She was often irritable and broody in the winters. It did not go unnoticed by her sisters.

 **OoOoO**

She much preferred the summers.

In the summer, he would go down to the beach daily. He wouldn't even bother dismantling his belongings as he knew he would return first thing in the morning and there would be no angry waves to drench and steal his things in the night, like there were in the winter.

He would often have a basket of brightly colored fruit laying out on the beach. She would eye it from afar, but when it was placed somewhere within her reach, she called upon her notorious courage to pluck one from its home.

She swam further down the beach that day, to a place far from his beach and the possibility of him catching her. Once in the safety of some hidden caves, she peeled open the fruit and drank of its sweet nectar. It tasted so different from the food she was accustomed to. The fish and plants she ate in the ocean were _salty._ This was somehow...sweet.

She savored every bite. Images played in her head, images of _her wizard_ eating the same fruit. Sometimes the juice would trickle down his chin and she would have the odd desire to lick it off of him. His teeth were straight and white, like the purest shell. His lips were petulant and full. She had the strong urge to nibble on them. What would it be like to kiss such lips? The thought alone made her own lips tingle. A feeling akin to heat flared inside her abdomen.

It was a very foreign feeling.

She didn't know the feeling of heat aside from when she would sun herself on a rock.

She liked the summers best, for many reasons.

 **OoOoO**

One summer stood out from the rest.

One summer, surprisingly, there was fruit left on the rock ledge _daily._

Sometimes an orange one, sometimes a red one, and sometimes a yellow one which gave her another distinct flavor she hadn't tried before - _sour_!

She didn't care—she ate it, peel and all. It was glorious and became a treat she looked forward to every day. He always went into the house, and she was always able to get her treasured fruit without being noticed.

Except that one time.

 **OoOoO**

One day, during her stealthy observations, he neglected to go inside as he always did at least once before retiring. This time, he stayed put, seemingly engrossed in another baffling book and all the while the tide was rising.

She waited patiently as she always did—it was like a game!

She didn't know why he left it. Did he think the waves took it? If so, why would he keep putting it there? Did he think he was sacrificing it to some ancient ocean god? It was _her fruit_! He was supposed to leave so she could take it—that was the game!

He did seem rather distracted by the book.

She tried to wrench her eyes away, but it was an orange one, the one that was slightly fuzzy. The temptation was far too great! Why couldn't he simply go inside like he was supposed to? Sighing in frustration, she made a decision. She would get her fruit, with or without him nearby.

She swam closer tentatively, halting whenever he made the slightest movement. She stayed under the cover of water for as long as she could, careful to keep her tail submerged. When she finally peeked her head above the surface, she cast a surreptitious glance his way, making sure she wasn't being watched.

His eyes were still glued to the tome in his lap.

 _Sweet Poseidon, he's even more beautiful up close!_

Throat suddenly dry, she wanted nothing more than to make it to safety with her treasured prize and sink her teeth into the fruit! With all the courage she could muster, she drew her body up noiselessly from the water, and pulled her upper half over the rock so she could reach for the sweet treat she was beginning to think he was leaving just for her.

She chanced another look his way, and froze.

He was looking straight at her!

She was about to drop her hand and sink back into the water sans her treat when he did the strangest thing—he _smiled_ at her.

Never in her memory of the three years she'd spent watching him could she recall him smiling. Maybe a smirk when he'd balanced an especially challenging Arithmancy calculation, but never a wide smile that displayed his teeth.

She was instantly paralyzed with fear.

"Wait," he said, in a deep, melodious voice that sounded like music to her ears. "Don't go. You've been watching me all this time... I just wanted to meet you."

 _Don't go?_ She felt oddly giddy at the mad notion. Flee she certainly would.

 **OoOoO**

She'd promised she wouldn't return.

Her sisters had always declared her _the brave one_ , but she was feeling far from courageous.

Still.

Like the current of the ocean under a full moon, she was drawn to him. She simply _had_ to return. And she missed her fruit.

Besides, he knew of her now, things could be _different,_ and somehow that was exciting.

 **OoOoO**

She stayed far from the beach, only barely raising her head so that just her ears were above the water.

She could hear him making a ruckus, building and bending stone and wood to create something new, she wasn't sure what it was going to be. He waved around that stick wizards were so fond of. She liked to watch his muscles as they flexed in his forearms.

"Returned, have you?" he said without looking at her and a jolt of terror shrilled through her. "You've been gone a month, that's the longest I haven't felt your eyes on me."

 _Wait, so he knows when I watch him? This whole time he knew but acted oblivious?_ Suspicion flared in her chest.

"Summer is halfway over," he added almost _angrily._

Yes, that was a melancholy thought, but the fact that he had mentioned it made her heart soar.

"Come closer," he bid, and she felt jolted into action by the blatant demand. She _liked_ being commanded by him. She liked being noticed at all.

He turned to look at her, causing her heart to stutter in her chest when he graced her with one of his rare smiles once more.

"I thought you were brave, sneaking all that fruit. _Closer._ "

There was something lurking in his eyes, something that reminded her of danger, but she ignored her instincts and came to the shallowest part of ocean, resting her fin against the sandy bottom so that just her head and thorax broke the surface. In this low water, her fin gleamed in purple, blue, and green iridescent hues, sparkling like tiny gems.

His eyes raked over her in an almost hungry sort of way. She tilted her head as she assessed him freely, noting the way his eyes were _not black,_ but rather speckled with flecks of blue that reminded her of the cerulean waters down south. When she moved, her long, chestnut hair brushed against her shoulder, exposing her bare chest to his roving gaze. Puzzled by his interest, she looked down, following his line of sight. It was just her breasts, why did that give him pause?

"You're a beautiful creature, did you know?"

Surprise bloomed across her face at his declaration and her cheeks flamed crimson.

She had always known she was beautiful - _all_ sirens were - and it wasn't as if she didn't possess a mirror. So why then was it such a shock to hear it coming from him?

"I'm Tom Riddle." His smile grew wider, and she felt her own lips twisting upwards in response. "Can you tell me your name, lovely?"

She swallowed discreetly. "Hermione."

He tasted the name on his tongue. " _Hermione_." Shivers sparked down her spine all the way to her tail at the sound of her name coming from his mouth. "Pleased to meet you, Hermione."

 **OoOoO**

For days after, she would sit in the shallow part of the sea, talking when he made her, but mostly listening to him speak.

He told her about a number of things.

He told her what was in the book he was reading, and Hermione suddenly understood his fascination with the texts he collected. He told her about his projects, potions, and inventions. They were all very mesmerizing, but not as mesmerizing as the man himself. She spent all her free time at his cove, _their cove,_ and there was always plenty of fruit to eat.

Sometimes she would sing for him. He claimed to love her voice. She could deny him _nothing_.

She was so glad she had decided to show herself to him.

He was _kind,_ and _brilliant,_ and much more beautiful to watch up close.

 **OoOoO**

One day, he was no longer satisfied with their arrangement.

"Why do you have to be so far?" Hermione did not like the edge of irritation in his voice.

 _So far? This is as close as I dare._

"Do you have to touch the water?"

The thought of displeasing her beautiful wizard, _her Tom,_ was heartbreaking. She'd rather die than see him angry as a result of something she had done. "I can leave the water, but just for a little while or else it becomes painful. I leave the water to sun myself on the rocks."

"Why don't you _sun yourself_ by me?" he said, and somehow his words seemed to curl around her chest like a sea snake, luring her closer.

The suggestion gave her that funny feeling she often got around him, the one that made her equal parts nervous and excited. The one that made her feel that foreign sensation of _heat_ low in her abdomen _._

The feeling only intensified when she complied with his demand. She scooted closer to the water's edge before hauling herself forward and sidling alongside him. He watched her intently all the while, which increased the nervous flutter in her chest. She flicked her tail out in front of her and bent it gracefully so her fins could rest on the shore, all the while feeling the heat of his scorching gaze.

She glanced at him, almost smugly, as if to show him she was no coward like he often accused her of being.

"That's better, isn't it?" She could actually feel the ghost of his breath along the skin of her neck and suppressed a shiver. "Now we can talk to each other properly."

Hermione gave him a small smile.

"Your tail is exquisite, the way it catches in the light."

She could not help but to drop her eyes and look for herself. Was it really?

"The color of precious stones...amethyst, topaz, emerald, chrysoberyl."

She was somehow lulled into an almost sleepy state by the sound of his rich voice. She had never thought of her tail in terms of gems and stones. He could describe anything and make it sound like the most glorious thing in the world.

"Lie back if you're tired," he instructed her. "I'll read to you."

She loved it when he read to her, even if the words he spoke didn't make sense. She lay back, stretching along the sand with a feeling of the utmost safety in his presence. She was fortunate to have a friend so knowledgeable... so powerful... and so thoughtful as him.

 **OoOoO**

The first time he kissed her, it was a chaste brush of his lips on her cheek as a way of saying goodbye.

The second time, was not so innocent.

He'd asked to touch her tail again - he so loved to do so - and she'd nodded tremulously, unable to deny him anything.

She liked when he touched her tail.

There was something about the sight of his fingers gliding down the smooth scales. He never brushed his fingers up, seemingly knowing that it would hurt her. He was very careful with her, and when he looked up, starling blue eyes collided with golden brown ones.

He braced himself on his hands then, before leaning forward and purging the scant distance between them. She was ready to push him away, to quickly jump into the water and swim to where he couldn't reach her. But hadn't she fantasized about this? Hadn't she wondered what it would be like to feel his gorgeous lips move against her own? She'd never kissed anyone before, always bored with potential suitors, but she certainly wanted to now.

When his lips touched hers all thought fled her brain.

A jolt of pleasure coursed through her at the contact. She picked up the hands in her lap and anchored them in the sand, bracing herself as he surged forward, slanting his mouth against hers skillfully. He was soft and tender, seemingly not wanting to scare her, but her mind was reeling.

In all her daydreams, she could never have anticipated how glorious this would feel.

Emboldened, she kissed him back, following his lead and moving her lips against his with equal fervor. He smiled against her mouth, and kissed her _harder._ Heat raced through her veins as she submitted herself to his expert attentions, relishing in how close she was to the man of her obsessions.

His tongue darted out to taste her lips, and she felt an involuntary whimper escape her throat. Her fingers threaded through soft sand, and she wished she could fist them in his hair instead. She wanted badly to touch more of him, and couldn't fathom where that thought came from.

One of his hands came to rest on her tail, sending sparks of electricity flaring through her body. She badly needed air, but could kiss him for eternity and needed that _more._ The scent of him assaulted her nostrils and she took in a rushed breath, gladly drinking him in. He smelled like the sea mixed with something else—equal parts sweet and salty.

Her fingers itched to touch him and she may have succeeded in giving into the desire if she hadn't felt a sharp prick of pain.

She broke away, a pained cry tearing from her throat.

"Sorry," he apologized, holding up his hands and what looked to be one of her iridescent scales between his fingers. "I just hoped you would let me have one."

"You want one of my scales?" she said, panting.

"Yes." Something dark passed through his gaze. "They're quite useful in potions, and rare to find."

Hurt and betrayal warred with each other as she wracked her mind for a suitable reason as to why he would take one of her scales. Was she only a resource to him? Should she be angry with him? It was hard to rectify the notion of Tom being in the wrong.

"So that's all I am to you—an ingredient?"

He reached out to cup her face. "Not at all. You're the only person I spend my time with."

"Except for when you leave." Her eyebrows rose in an expression that could only be described as challenging.

"I do have business outside, but here, i _n my sanctuary_ , it's only you."

 _Only her._ Those words had a somewhat calming effect on her and she felt her anger start to drain. "I suppose you can have one of my scales, they do grow back, after all. It just really hurts when you pull it like that."

"I'll be more gentle next time."

Only later, when she was swimming freely through the ocean, her tail propelling her powerfully forward, did she realize the gravity of his words.

 **OoOoO**

"Summer is almost over," she informed him, her tone tinged with sadness.

"Will you sing to me?"

She ducked her head, and nodded.

She sang to him because he loved it when she did, and she loved pleasing him. She sang of distant oceans, underwater castles and ice caverns, she sang of the creatures in the sea, relishing in the music she created.

"Lovely as ever," Tom praised her. "They say a siren's song is a potent aphrodisiac."

Hermione did not know why his words should make her nervous. How was she to respond to such a statement? "Oh, and what do you say? I would think you'd be an expert at this point."

"I wouldn't know." He smirked at her and she could not help but smirk back. "I was conceived under a love potion and am immune to such tricks, even from alluring creatures such as yourself, I'm afraid."

As before, she was unsure how to react. "Immune...does that mean witches have tried it before?" Jealousy burned in her eyes at the mere thought of it.

"I've been slipped a potion or two," he admitted.

"So you're used to such tricks," she all but snarled.

He traced the shell of her ear, causing her breath to hitch. "Never before by so fascinating a creature as you." He leaned forward, and this time she knew exactly what he intended to do.

They often would kiss—it had become their favorite pass-time. Hermione looked forward to this part of the day. She was comfortable with his touch as they would often doze together waiting for the sun to set. He liked to wrap his arms around abdomen and hold her—it made her feel _secure._

But this kiss was different.

When he captured her lips with his own, there was an earnestness that set her blood to boiling. He kissed her, hard and aggressive, not as slowly as he usually started out doing. She had gotten a lot of practice over the summer and felt very comfortable kissing him, but the brutal pace he set was hard to keep up with. He licked along the seam of her lips then nibbled on the fullest part. Mind buzzing with need, a mewl escaped her mouth and he used that moment to deepen the kiss.

His tongue slipped against hers like silk, massaging it expertly as he explored the cavern of her mouth. They had never done this before, and pleasure raced through her veins at the feel of him so intimately close to her. He nipped at her bottom lip punishingly, before breaking away and nuzzling her neck. She couldn't help tilting it to offer him better access. It felt pleasant to have him there too, and she let out a shallow gasp when he traced her pulse point with his tongue.

"Though," his breath tickled her neck, "maybe a siren's song is different. Shall we test the theory?"

Pressure mounted at her temples, making it difficult to think. "Test it?" Weren't they already testing it?

"Mhm," he said against her neck, eliciting the most decadent sensations from her with his skillful attention.

"Yes," she breathed, just to agree with him. It was too hard when he made her talk; her mind could not keep up.

"Touch me," Tom commanded.

She reached tentative fingers up to rest on his shoulders, unsure of where to hold onto.

"How sweet." He chuckled softly.

Feeling slightly mocked, she let her right hand wander to behind his neck and her left hand up to his beautiful head of hair she had often fantasized about letting her fingers run through. It was deceptively soft and felt luxurious under her fingertips. She grabbed onto some of it and _pulled,_ struck by the need to muss up his perfectly styled locks.

He growled his approval and went back to kissing her, but this time, his hands wandered too.

He held her by the waist and pushed her down to the sandy ground, it didn't take much effort. Once she was flat, his hands moved to run up her sides, up and down in a tantalizing motion. She keened whenever he would brush the side of her breast, searching for something she couldn't name. He feasted on her like she was some decadent treat and the only thing she wanted to do was wrap her tail around his waist, no - _legs_ \- she wished _badly_ fo legs. Somehow she knew that would be perfect in this situation.

When his right hand first made contact with her left breast, she stifled a moan and her pleasure spiked considerably.

He broke away from their heated kiss. "You want me to touch you here?" He massaged her breast gently and she arched her back off of the sand.

"Yes," she hissed. "Please touch me there."

He did so, and her eyes may have rolled back in her head at how exquisitely _good_ it felt. He alternated between rubbing one, then the other, before turning his attention to both. Her earlier concerns over this new way of kissing vanished, to be replaced with a desire that was all consuming. The strokes along her sensitive chest were working her into a frenzy, and when he added his mouth, she couldn't stave off the noises that tumbled from her mouth.

Searing pleasure flooded her body, all the way down to her tail, which flicked and twisted of its own accord. She wanted something, but was unable to reach it, which caused her to almost cry in frustration.

"Tom," she begged when she felt him grind something hot and hard against her stomach. "Please, I need _more_."

"What do you need, lovely?"

He was teasing her, lightly nipping her and alternating his attention between each breast, his hands everywhere.

In a moment of stark clarity, she knew exactly what she needed. " _Legs_." Her voice was strangely husky and filled with desire. "Please, you're a wizard; I know you can give me legs."

He chuckled again. "I can, but what will you give me?"

Fueled by adrenaline, she answered him recklessly. " _Anything._ "

He didn't pick up his wand to do it. No, the power he wielded seemed to come straight from his very hands, his skillful, expert hands. He ran them along her tail and she felt it immediately buzz with energy. She looked down in wonder as they glowed bright purple before splitting and morphing into pale, white legs, interrupted by an iridescent appearance of radiolucent scales that made them look not quite human. With the addition of the legs came heat pooling at the juncture of her thighs. She wanted to move them, to stretch them wide.

He ran his eyes appreciatively over his handiwork, fingers following his line of sight. His touch left a heated trail that produced sensations intensified even more so, and shooting straight to her core.

Tom went back to kissing her breasts, his inquisitive fingers reaching lower to play at the softness of her inner thighs.

"Tom," she begged again, reduced to a sobbing mess.

Her breath stuttered when she felt his fingers probing sensitive flesh, stroking over slickened folds that thirsted to clamp down on _something_. It felt good to squeeze her muscles there, and she couldn't help doing it over and over, increasing the pleasurable feeling. That sensation only heightened when his finger entered her and she had something to clench onto. An incoherent, strangled cry tore from her throat. He refocused on her lips when the sound left her mouth, and kissed her hard and fast, stifling the wanton sounds he made. Her hands squeezed his shoulders roughly, and her foreign legs spread wider of their own accord.

"Look what you've done," he growled, rolling his hips against her. "Perhaps I'm not immune to your charms after all."

The words gave her a sense of power. She felt lightheaded at the sheer feel of his finger inside of her. He added another finger and used his thumb to circle something glorious. The ragged strokes caused her to shift unapologetically in his hands, searching for the promise of something greater.

His face had transformed with desire, likely mirroring her own, and she thought he never looked so beautiful. She tugged at various layers, his shirt, his trousers, she wanted to feel his heated skin up against hers. Sensing what she wanted, he tore off his shirt and threw it aside, before working on the fastenings of his trousers.

Withdrawing his fingers, he replaced them with something else, inexplicably hard and velvety. When he pressed that hot part of him against her heated flesh, her eyelashes fluttered shut and she arched her hips as he dragged himself along her folds.

"I need you now." His voice sounded hoarse and almost foreign to her ears.

With a guttural groan, he pushed inside her, filling her in one single thrust. Her eyelashes fluttered shut as the ache inside her throbbed harder still. Her walls clamped down on him, holding him there like a vice. She delighted in the feral noise that left his mouth.

Nestled in between the slopes of her thighs, he began _moving_. "Look at me," he demanded. She was happy to comply—she did so love to watch him.

He pulled away before filling her once more. Her lips parted in shock and her eyelashes lifted to stare into intent blue eyes. The urge to move with him was overpowering. Her left leg curled tightly around his hip and he gripped her hips tightly, holding her still.

Her body was singing and aflame with heat as he set a maddeningly slow rhythm she wanted to hasten. She fluttered and clenched around him, maximizing each of his strokes with a well-timed squeeze over her own. Unrestrained noises of pleasure permeated the air as she focused on reaching that edge she felt him guiding her too.

He buried his face in her neck, teeth tugging on her pulse point and tongue swirling as he increased the pace of his thrusts. The combination of his mouth on her neck and that delightful part of him moving inside her caused the coil of tension to tighten and snap, searing rapture flooding her body like a powerful spell. She clenched her inner muscles around him, brain going fuzzy with white, hot pleasure. In a blinding moment of ecstasy he leaned down and swept his tongue along her lips before capturing them in a brusing kiss and finding his own pleasure. Around a groan his body went tense beneath her fingertips as he gave a few more powerful thrusts before collapsing against her.

She felt limp and boneless. She thought she may lay there forever with his forehead resting against hers, and maybe they did.

She was helpless to protest when he scooped her into his arms and started heading for his house. If she had possessed the wits, she would have been excited about entering his most secret chambers, but her mind was still blissfully blank.

The interior wasn't as dark as she imagined it would be. It was sparsely furnished and decorated in earthy tones. There was a fire crackling in the wide hearth. She'd never been so close to one before and it made her skin clammy.

Abruptly, her legs vibrated with energy before morphing back into her tail. She furrowed her brows in confusion. "Tom, my tail...I don't understand?"

"Hush, my beautiful creature." There was a possessive edge to his tone. "The spell doesn't last long, and that's all right. You don't need legs - to be a human - that's so _ordinary_. You're tail is _amazing_ , it would be a crime to get rid of it." He kissed her forehead, confusing her still. "No, you need to stay as you are."

Hermione made a sound as if to protest, but he hushed her again.

"Don't fret, lovely. I'll cast the spell from time to time, you need only ask."

He set her down on soft cushions, then withdrew his wand from the pocket of his unfastened trousers and leveled it at her. Before she knew what was happening, she felt herself lifted in the air, hovering towards something she had not noticed before.

It was a tank, dead center in the middle of the room, quite large and spacious. The water moving inside cast glimmers of light on the stone walls.

Panic began to churn maliciously in her gut. She glanced at Tom, _her dark wizard,_ looking at him with new eyes and recognizing him for the predator he was.

 _Sweet Poseidon,_ she was his prey.

Twisting his wand, he deposited her right in the center of the glass cage with a splash and she sunk gracefully into the water, flipping and quickly propelling herself to the edge where she placed her hands on the glass and peered at him.

He smiled and she felt oddly torn between wanting to cry and taking a curious look around because she was finally in the place that had been forbidden to her.

She was captured!

By the one she trusted _most._

Hermione would never be able to see her sisters again so long as he kept her in the warded cage. She almost wanted to giggle madly when she realized this is what she'd seen him working on the past few months, bits and pieces at a time. He'd taken such care! And now she was _his._

"Your tail is inherently magical. You are valuable to me, and I will keep you safe."

She banged on the glass, the panic surfacing and flooding her features. He couldn't do this, not when she _trusted_ him! She could feel the invisible magical bounds that flanked the tank, strong and tightly closing in around her like a vice if she tried to push against it with her own magic.

With stark clarity, she realized it was thanks to her obsession that she was now in captivity and cut off from the ocean. She had no one to blame but herself.

 **OoOoO**

When winter came, she began to see her captivity in a new light.

Usually winters meant she would be alone. There was not a lot of watching to be done that time of the year, and observing and lurking were her favorite things to do. It was so much better than propelling herself through the oceans...than singing with her sisters...it fed her curiosity and her curiosity was insatiable.

She had cried early on, and it had bothered him so much so that he cast a darkening spell over her eyes.

That had been far worse.

She couldn't deal with the darkness—she had to _see._

Hermione would sing to herself to stave off her loneliness. When she could sing no more, the darkness would sing back to her. She stopped crying and her blindness was removed.

That was when she realized her situation was not so bad.

For years she had watched him, had wondered what his home looked like from the inside, now she was here and right in the middle of things. She could watch him freely as he worked, and she could see everything. Instead of watching him from afar, she was in the center of his universe and always doing what she loved best— _observing._

Sometimes he would leave for wizarding villages, but he would always return to her. He kept good on his promise and would occasionally reward her by giving her legs. She liked to walk around the place she only got to see from behind glass. The cage was her _home,_ and he was her _world._ And if her beautiful scales were missing faster than they could grow back? It was all right—a small price to pay.

She liked the winters best.

In the winter he tended to work inside, and she did so love his company.

She was separated from the ocean and the promise of freedom, but she was _cherished, wanted,_ and in a carefully designed cage just for her. He would let nothing bad happen to her and she would always be kept safe by her _powerful dark wizard._

She _loved_ watching him.

 **OoOoO**


End file.
